Portfolio

Grounded in the district’s True North of educational equity, the College, Career & Life Readiness communication campaign positioned Career Pathways as the organizing framework for the student experience at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. The initiative supported the development and launch of 19 Illinois State Board of Education-approved Career Pathways while aligning Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and International Baccalaureate opportunities to ensure every student has access to rigorous and meaningful learning experiences connected to their future goals.

In 2022–23, Homewood-Flossmoor High School launched the first comprehensive strategic communication plan in the district’s 64-year history. Guided by the R-PIE process, the work included a communication audit, SCoPE survey, focus groups, analytics review, and stakeholder engagement to identify priorities and strengthen transparent, timely, and two-way communication. The resulting nationally award-winning plan continues to guide district communication and community engagement efforts today.

Building strong relationships with the media that cover a school district is an essential part of effective storytelling and community engagement. Drawing on her background in journalism, two journalism degrees, and her teaching experience with the University of Illinois College of Media, Carla has helped shape meaningful newspaper and television coverage that highlights the students, staff, programs, and initiatives that inspire and empower school communities.

The national award-winning Homewood-Flossmoor High School website redesign was developed to improve usability, accessibility, and functionality while remaining cost-effective and strategically focused on increasing communication satisfaction. Guided by research, planning, implementation, and evaluation, the project prioritized feedback from students, families, staff, and community members to create a more user-centered digital experience.

Video storytelling creates powerful opportunities to connect audiences with the people, programs, and experiences that define a school community. Throughout her career, Carla has collaborated with talented videographers, editors, staff, and students to produce strategic videos that inform, engage, and celebrate the impact of public education.

Throughout the pandemic, open and transparent communication was a hallmark of the district's response. I worked closely with the Superintendent and School Board to develop and implement communication strategically, as shared in this presentation at the Illinois Chapter/National School Public Relations Association INSPRAtions Conference in Fall 2021. This plan was also the basis for my Accreditation in Public Relations project.

Following the hiring of a new superintendent, the district launched a comprehensive community engagement process to help shape its future direction. Through ThoughtExchange feedback, stakeholder committees, collaborative dialogue, and multiple rounds of community input, students, families, staff, and community members helped develop new mission and vision statements, strategic pillars, and measurable goals. This process led to developing a new district brand.